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I made this bean and corn salad with a lime vinaigrette a few nights ago. Usually when I make something vegetarian (and/or good for you), I have to be very careful to get Kramer interested in eating it. He’s slowly coming around to the idea that vegetarian food doesn’t necessarily mean that the dish is boring or without bold flavors! I actually think that it’s quite easy to make vegetarian dishes delicious because vegetables don’t need to be seasoned heavily and they are much easier to cook than, say, beef or pork. Surprisingly enough, I had never made a bean salad before on my own. Every time I see one at a barbecue or a party, I always head straight for them, though. Alternatives to traditional side salads with lettuce, tomato, and croutons are always interesting and full of flavor, plus they are simply a more exciting side than the usual leafy salad. I love the brightness of this bean and corn salad in particular, and the flavors only intensify after 24 hours in a sealed container in the refrigerator. There are four types of beans in this dish: soy beans (edamame), kidney beans, black beans, and garbanzo beans. I also used some corn that I had in the freezer, which lends a sweetness to the salad, as well as a bit of a crunchy element. I added in raw, but sweet, Vidallia onions and roasted some garlic until golden perfection in the oven. Vidallia onions are very similar to yellow or Spanish onions, but they have a distinct sweetness which makes them ideal for using raw, often in the same way that you would use a red onion raw. The dressing is very easy to make, as I’ve only used a few ingredients; lime juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, and cracked black pepper. As all of these ingredients sit together, they create a savory and surprisingly filling side for your summer cook-out or casual dinner at home.

Your ingredients. You can use fresh, canned, or frozen beans and corn; whatever you have available.

I had dried black beans, so I soaked them in boiling water for an hour and a half, then boiled them in a sauce pan with just enough water to cover them for 25 minutes, then drained them and allowed them to cool for about an hour in the fridge.

Place your garlic cloves on a baking sheet and brush with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Bake at 375 degree F for 15 minutes or so until golden.

If you are using dried beans (I used dried black beans), soak them according to package directions. I soakced my black beans in boiling water for an hour and a half, then cooked them over medium-high heat in just enough water to cover them for 25 minutes. I then drained them and allowed them to cool in the fridge for an hour so. If you're using canned beans, no need to worry about this step!

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Peel your garlic cloves and place them on a baking sheet, then brush with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes or so, until golden. Set aside to cool.

Dice your onion and add it to a large bowl. Add in your minced garlic, too. Add in your drained and rinsed beans and corn. Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients, taste for seasoning, and add to the salad (you might not need to use all of the dressing). Toss to coat and allow to sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving (but overnight in a sealed container is best). Makes 8-10 servings as a side.

Ben: I wish! We only have two windows in our little apartment, one of which is in our bedroom (where our bed takes up 99% of the space), and the other is on our tiny “office”, where we have not nearly enough light for herbs, nor a window ledge for them. One day, though!

This has been a staple for me for a long time, but your dressing is WAY better.
I cut out the edamame and add pinto beans, and cilantro. I also exchange the white onion for red, but that’s insignificant really.

Jake: I would have much preferred red, believe me, but I only had white available. It’s no insignificant at all! Red is my favorite kind of onion, haha. I would have liked to use cilantro, too, but again, I didn’t have it. Don’t modify your recipe unless all you do is add lime!

Natalie: Thanks! I actually ate it alone because we were going out with friends late in the evening, which I knew would inevitably end in pizza, so I just wanted something light for dinner around 6. I think it’d be great with anything, though; fish, chicken, burgers, etc.

A side note about cilantro (I just read yours and Calliope’s msgs)…the first time I tasted it in a burrito I thought it was some aluminum foil in the burrito–it just tasted so metallic to me. I couldn’t stand it for a long time after that. Now, I don’t mind it in small doses. For what it’s worth. 😉

[…] left me with finding something else to do. I was Stumbling across the internet and came across a Black Bean and Corn Salad with a Lime Vinaigrette. It looked pretty delicious and perfect for a beautiful summer day like today so I looked a little […]